


Communication Error

by squiggid



Series: Snapshots of the Karasuno Boys [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Kissing, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Miscommunication, Seasons 1-2, Tsukishima Being Rude Whether Intentional Or Not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25000648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squiggid/pseuds/squiggid
Summary: Even if everyone else apparently can’t handle hearing the cold, hard truth, it’s fine, because there’s at least one person in the world who understands how Tsukishima talks and doesn’t complain about his delivery.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Series: Snapshots of the Karasuno Boys [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798606
Comments: 4
Kudos: 118





	Communication Error

“Tsukishima sure has a crabby way of saying things.”

It’s a phrase Tsukishima has heard before, and he won’t deny it’s the truth. What’s he supposed to do—sugar coat everything so that delicate snowflakes don’t get their feelings hurt? They’re in high school, for god’s sake, not children on a playground.

Tsukishima just says things the way they are, no beating around the bush. Sure, sometimes it rubs people the wrong way. Sure, if he’s a bit nicer, then maybe he could get a girlfriend, or at least have more friends in general. But he’s not so weak-willed to give in to peer pressure like that.

Maybe he’s a little stubborn, OK, but at least he’s true to himself.

Anyway, even if everyone else apparently can’t handle hearing the cold, hard truth, it’s fine, because there’s at least one person in the world who understands how he talks and doesn’t complain about his delivery.

Yeah, Yamaguchi can be a handful, and sometimes his clingy nature can be sort of like trying to swat a persistent fly away, but at least the guy never whines about how Tsukishima’s too mean, or something. At first, maybe, it was a little annoying to have this scrawny, freckled boy always following him around, but Tsukishima got used to it. Only took a few years and way too many “Tsukki”s later, but he got used to it.

Sometimes, when the two of them are eating french fries or listening to music together, Tsukishima thinks that maybe— _ maybe _ —he even likes the company now. It’s nice to have Yamaguchi around, always laughing at his jokes, always understanding what he means; just sort of accepting him and not trying to change him in any way.

Tsukishima thinks that Yamaguchi even prefers his blunt style of communicating until one day the guy echoes that obnoxious brat Hinata’s words.

“Sugawara-san always showers me with praise when I practice serves,” Yamaguchi says with a meek but pleased smile as they exit the gym.

It’s a statement that catches Tsukishima off-guard. When did Yamaguchi start liking simple, fluffy stuff like that? Did it start recently, with this team of ridiculous characters? Or has he always been like that, and Tsukishima just never knew, since he’s never spoken in that way?

Does Yamaguchi actually understand him?

When they part ways walking home, Tsukishima has a heavy feeling in his chest, and he’s not exactly sure why.

—

It’s a bit awkward, and it makes Tsukishima feel sort of gross for having to do it, but after hearing those words, he tries to soften his own when it comes to Yamaguchi.

He tries his best to tell Yamaguchi that he’s cool in his own way, but it comes off sarcastic. He tries to encourage him on the court, but it comes off as a threat. His attempts are such failures that even Tanaka’s hysteric laughs actually get a rise out of him, for once.

Tsukishima’s not used to being so obviously bad at something, and it’s humiliating.

Every time he tries, though, Yamaguchi blinks and then smiles so wide that a light practically shines around him. He thanks Tsukishima like he understands what he’s trying to say.

But does he, really? Does he understand that Tsukishima never means it with hostility whenever he tells the guy to shut up? Does he know that Tsukishima likes walking home with him, even if he doesn’t say a word the whole time? Does he know how special Tsukishima feels when Yamaguchi calls him that dumb nickname?

Yamaguchi has to know.

Right?

Their walks home are the same as they always are, except this time, Tsukishima’s silence is due to the whirling thoughts in his head.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Yamaguchi chirps, as usual, turning to walk down the street to his house.

Tomorrow. Right. For some reason, the thought of Yamaguchi going home misinterpreting everything Tsukishima’s ever said or done is too much. Maybe every day for years, Yamaguchi‘s gone home not knowing just how much Tsukishima appreciates him. Or even worse, maybe he goes home wondering if Tsukishima actually just straight up dislikes him like he clearly dislikes so many other people.

There might be a little desperation in his actions when Tsukishima grabs Yamaguchi’s hand.

“Hey,” Tsukishima says, surprised at how low and soft his voice is. “You know... right?”

Yamaguchi blinks. “Know what?”

Stupid. Yamaguchi’s so stupid. And Tsukishima’s stupid, too, apparently, for thinking that this guy could just magically understand how he feels after all these years of them knowing each other—after all these years of taking for granted the comforting presence by his side, this guy who always supports him, this guy who looks at him like Tsukishima’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

Words are so frustratingly difficult, so Tsukishima just leans down and presses his lips to Yamaguchi’s.

When he pulls back, Yamaguchi’s eyes are so wide that they could be volleyballs.

“I...” Yamaguchi stutters, but he never finishes his thought.

Something awful drops inside of Tsukishima’s heart. Stupid. He’s so stupid. Why did he ever think that someone could understand him and how he feels?

Tsukishima doesn’t say anything. He just leaves, even if it means abandoning his shocked friend on the corner.

Hah. Who’s abandoning who, really? He feels like he’s lost half of his heart.

-

The next day at school is dreadful. All day, Yamaguchi glances at him awkwardly like he’s not sure what to say or do. At practice, even the dumbasses like Hinata and Nishinoya notice and start poking them about it.

“A-ah, it’s nothing,” Tsukishima hears Yamaguchi tell Hinata. “He’s just not feeling well, that’s all.”

“If he’s sick, then he should go home, not drag the team down with his mopey glares,” Hinata says loudly.

Tsukishima smirks and opens his mouth to mutter something about Hinata going home if he can’t even receive a ball, but he stops himself once he realizes nobody’s by his side to hear him.

Shit. This sucks.

Once practice is over (thank god), Tsukishima sits on the stairs to the club room tying his shoes when he sees a pair of beat-up sneakers approach him.

“Hey,” Yamaguchi starts, a little timidly, like he always is. “About yesterday...”

Tsukishima tenses up, but he tries not to show it. There’s no point in letting down his guard around Yamaguchi anymore.

He stands up and brushes past Yamaguchi.

“Forget it,” he says under his breath.

A hand reaches out for his, and Tsukishima remembers how he grabbed Yamaguchi’s last night.

“You have the wrong idea,” Yamaguchi says.

Yeah, thanks, he already knows that, asshole, but hearing it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

“I said forget it,” Tsukishima repeats, raising his voice.

“No, I...” Yamaguchi’s hand lets go, and he says again, a bit quieter this time, “I said you have the wrong idea.”

Finally, Tsukishima turns to face him. Yamaguchi’s maybe half a head shorter than him, but he looks smaller than ever, with his shoulders hunched inward, his head bowed, and his fingers twiddling with themselves. Looking at Yamaguchi like this makes Tsukishima simultaneously think he’s pitiful and also want to shield him from anything that could possibly hurt him.

“I...” Yamaguchi stammers, just like he did yesterday. “I didn’t hesitate yesterday because I didn’t like it. I just... I didn’t think anything like that would ever actually happen.”

The way that’s phrased sounds like it’s something he’s thought about before. The thought makes Tsukishima’s heart flip in his chest, but he still doesn’t open his mouth.

“I’ve liked you for a long time now, but I didn’t think you’d ever like me back,” Yamaguchi confesses with a small quirk of his lips.

Tsukishima raises his eyebrows. Part of that sentence makes his chest warm, but part of it feels off.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Tsukishima asks.

“Well, look at me.” Yamaguchi gestures to himself and lets out a pathetic laugh. “I’m nothing special.”

Something hot and angry boils inside of Tsukishima’s chest at those self-deprecating words, that feeble laugh, the thought of his best friend really thinking of himself so lowly.

“Don’t ever say that again,” Tsukishima hisses.

“What?”

“I don’t ever want to hear you say something so stupid again.”

Yamaguchi’s eyes are wide again, like they were last night, but this time, they’re quick to crinkle up as a grin spreads wide across his face and laughs start pitter-pattering out of his mouth.

“What’s so funny?” Tsukishima demands.

“Nothing, it’s just...” Yamaguchi laughs again and then beams up at Tsukishima. “I never thought I could be this happy.”

No one else (besides his idiot brother) has ever succeeded in making him feel simultaneously irrationally giddy and horribly embarrassed.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi,” he grumbles, knowing full well that the venom of his words are softened by the growing blush in his cheeks.

Yamaguchi laughs again, and although it’s nice to hear, it’s also sort of annoying to know the laughter is directed at him. Desperately wanting to stop this uncomfortable embarrassment he’s felt for the last few days and knowing full well now the utter uselessness of words, Tsukishima decides to cut off Yamauguchi’s laughs with what he’s discovered is the most effective way. 

He leans down and kisses him again, and he’s relieved when Yamaguchi actually kisses him back this time.

Yeah, maybe Tsukishima is bad at communicating, and maybe these past few days have been shit because of it. But he’s glad he put in the effort, for once. It was all worth it to make sure his other half knows just how special he is.


End file.
